Chapter 4: The last period set-up

WHEN a blessing from the heavens pour, it indeed pours hard. In Beatrice's case, the blessing she received from heavens was just meters away from her. She was utterly shocked she just stared dumbfounded at the two individuals that now stood in front of the class, more specifically to Marco Lorenzo Saavedra.

He had a faraway look as his gaze surveyed the room, oblivious to the adoring stare that most of the girls are giving him. He had the aura of being so near yet so far until his gaze fell on her, a side-grin formed on his lips while his eyes shown a hint of mirth as if he remembered her before turning to Hilario who was standing next to him. The latter made a gesture of whispering something on his ear that Lorenzo answered with a nod. Seconds later, he was walking towards the door and out of St. Francis of Assisi's classroom.

Her eyebrows then furrowed in an instant when Hilario's face blocked her view. She gave him a scowl before averting her gaze back to the view outside the window. It was better to avoid ever seeing Hilario's face or her mood would definitely turn sour.

A loud cough was heard after before the familiar annoying voice followed which made her eyebrow raise. She reluctantly look back to Hilario.

"We may all be mere students outside of this class but, in this company, we your assigned officers are your higher ups. Which means that we expect respect coming from all of you. Whatever feelings such as grudge or any form you have with us, it should stay outside. Are we clear?"

No one made a sound of approval which made Hilario to repeat his last words.

"Cadettes, answer 'clear'." Urge a soft-spoken male voice coming from behind her. There was a state of confusion from everyone inside but still answered with the word, she reluctantly chorused with the others.

A satisfied smile crept on Hilario's face as he glanced at her. She bit the flesh inside her lower lip while maintaining her poker face expression.

Looks like Hilario found a way to boss not just everyone inside the room, but her as well.

I really hate you, Hilario. She inwardly expressed.

-----

"THAT'S not the right way of saluting, Mercado." Said the familiar voice she so love to hate. She turned to her right, her right hand still in salute stance. She gave Hilario a questioning stare, not wasting a breathe to speak. She was not used of him being this nerve chilling formal to her. He let out a sigh which did not hid his displeased reaction.

She wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible that she straightened the angle of her arms just to please him.

However, a chuckle unexpectedly came out from Hilario, his eyes had an amused sparkle while looking at her. "It still is not right, Mercado." He told her, "let me help you."

Her eyes widened when Hilario took her right hand away which was followed with the feel of warmth and callous palm against her cold palm. Her gasp caught in her throat as an unfamiliar comfortable sensation coursed through with just that mere touch. She could not help but think how long his fingers and big his hands was against hers.

"You also need to straighten your back for the correct posture." Hilario added leaving her palm mid-air before turning behind her, putting both his hands on her shoulder thus correcting her posture. She tensed with his touch and this invading feeling of proximity.

She voluntarily made the salute stance to dispel the unwanted thoughts forming inside her head, as well as a way for Hilario to not touch her once again but failed for he still held on her elbow to straighten the angle of her arm.

"There." He said with a satisfied tone in his voice. She whispered a word of reluctant thanks before moving back to align herself with the others. In her thoughts she hope for him to move away and mind the other girls inside the room but Hilario seemed persistent to stay by her side. In the end, since she could not ignore him as he was as he had told them all earlier was their higher up, she went along on his instructions in which she learned a lot from the simple salute stance.

And she admitted to herself that Hilario was not that bad as what she had painted him of for the past three years.

-----

"DAMN, I feel so unlucky today and the days ahead best!" Jenny told her as they walked side-by-side and with arms interlocked, sharing Jenny's big pink umbrella. They are on their way home. She caught up with Jenny while the latter was going out of their school building.

"Why so?" She asked not turning to look at Jenny's face. Her attention was on the muddy ground they are trailing, worrying on her old shoes. She could feel her socks inside wet.

"Remember Joselito Esteban from St. Ignatius of Loyola section?"

"Yeah, the one you turned down the confession last February?" She answered as she remember the guy as Jenny's dance partner on their Junior-Senior Prom.

"Damn it! He was one of our assigned officers in Echo. Oh God! I am deeply embarrassed of him blurting out that he still likes me." Jenny said, stopping them both from walking as the former stomped her left foot on the muddy ground.

"Is that why there were squeals and laughter coming from your section?"

"Indeed! He is going to be the death of me! I don't want this CAT class anymore!" Complained Jenny shooking their intertwined arms.

Having no words to pacify Jenny in her dilemma, she just kept herself quiet. Afterall, they are stuck in those CAT classes for the entire school year. What bother her at the moment was her old shoes.

"Anyway, I don't know if you know or perhaps you know already. I learned Lorenzo was our commander in chief or so? It was like he had the highest position in the roster of officers."

"R-really?" Is that why he left our company earlier? Is he going to be busy? She wanted to ask but kept it to herself.

"Yeah, he was like chosen on the CAT camp that happened this summer. Sarita also had the highest position among the girl officers."

"I see."

"Hey, don't sulk there! I am just telling you what that annoying Joselito told us. The other information I heard would definitely shock you." Jenny excitedly said her latter words, "Hilario held the next highest post next to Lorenzo. Damn that boasty guy, he sure would use this newfound power to boss around us all."

She kept quiet from what she heard. It was the confirmatory information why Hilario was emitting an aura of authority. Indeed it would be a troublesome year with the set-up their last period had.

Heaven and hell really poured her something she would hate as well as like.

"Jenny, I need to take off my shoes and socks. I'll just walk bare-footed." She stated which stopped her bestfriend from walking. She could no longer take the wet feel of her feet soaked on her wet socks. She then untangled her arm on Jenny's, putting her free hand on her bestfriend's shoulder while her other hand reached for the strap of her old mary jane shoe.

"I think I should go bare-footed as well, Bea. I feel embarrass with letting you bare-footed alone." Jenny joked before handing her the umbrellas's handle. "And don't you ever think I'm pitying you or I'll slap you hard!"

"O-okay."

"Do you want to go to the capital with me on Saturday? I was thinking of buying a pair of baggy pants and also getting a haircut. Got to make someone turned off."

"Uhm, let me see if I had enough money to spend for a new pair of shoe. I really need one." Beatrice said as her resigned eyes looked with pity on her shoes' heads. The leather gave away.